The document discusses several theories that attempt to explain disparities in development levels between countries: - Resource endowment theory suggests development depends on a country's natural and human resources. European development was aided by coal, iron, fertile land, and climate. - Rostow's model proposes countries progress through the same linear stages of growth, but some fail to "take off" industrially. - Dependency theory argues 500 years of European colonial exploitation of resources in Africa, Asia, and the Americas led to continued domination of rich over poor nations.

1. Theoretical attempts to explain disparities in development

2. “ A theory must be tempered with reality.” Jawaharlal Nehru Indian politician (1889 - 1964) In other words all the following theories are not “truths”. There is empirical evidence to prove and disprove all these theories. We are dealing with the real world not a controlled lab experiment!

3. Resource Endowment and Environmental Determinism Resource endowment suggest that development is dependent on the resources (both natural and human) the country has to exploit. There are links with the theory of environmental determinism which suggests that human activity is determined by the environment. European development due to its coal and iron reserves, fertile soils, temperate climate and low frequency and intensity of natural hazards. Taiwan, Japan, Brazil, Nigeria?

5. Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth Model This is a linear model. It suggests that all countries go through the same stages. There are disparities because we are no longer all subsistence farmers. Just like the demographic transition model it is based on the experiences of Western Europe and North America. It does not take into account spatial differences within a country. The big question is why do countries fail to “take off”? Nagle – page 442

6. Cycle of Poverty Countries can be seen as trapped in a Cycle of Poverty. A self perpetuating combination of factors which unless broken will stop development.

7. Another linear model. This time suggesting that all economies start off as agricultural and then go through a period of industrialisation and then develop into post industrial economies. Success in one sector sets the conditions to move to the next stage. Why do some countries fail to industrialise? Nagle – page 441 Clarke’s Sector Model (Colin Clarke 1905 – 1989)

8. The New International Division of Labour The spatial decentralisation of many economic activities. Until recently the NIDL was seen as the spatial decentralisation of manufacturing away from the Core to Semi Peripheral areas. Now we can observe a NIDL in services and an increasing decentralisation of coordination and control operations.

9. World Systems Analysis There is a Global Economy which all countries are a part of. Therefore countries are interdependent and development in one country depends on the country’s position in the Global Economy (World system) The Global Economy is divided into the Core, Semi Periphery and Periphery . World Systems Analysis theorists such as Immanuel Wallerstein argue that the development of the Core is a result of its exploitation of the Periphery. Nagle 443 See Global Economy Powerpoint for definitions of Core, Periphery and Semi Periphery.

10. Cumulative Causation Can be used on a global scale or within countries to explain regional disparities. Cumulative Causation – Spiral of advantages that occur in a specific geographical location (core). Core – Initially based on comparative advantages (resource endowment and location), develops from acquired advantages (multiplier effect, agglomeration, increased tax revenue, increased public spending, education and health care, skilled labour, improvements in infrastructure). Periphery – Inaccessible, underpopulated, resource poor. Nagle page 396 Gunnar Myrdal (1957) - Rich lands and Poor lands

11. Backwash Effects Negative effects of the core’s growth on the periphery. Out-migration of economically active people, outflows of capital, decreasing tax base, firms of the periphery not able to compete with the firms of the core and therefore periphery being flooded with core’s products. Spread Effects Positive effects of the core’s growth on the periphery. Core unable to supply all the products the Core is demanding so supply from the Periphery to the Core. Core becomes affected by NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES (high rents, overcrowding, congestion) so firms locate in periphery. Key question – Will the benefits of the Core’s development “spread” or “trickle down” to the periphery?

12. John Friedmann’s Model of Regional Development Upward transitional area could be seen as the semi periphery. Resource frontier is peripheral but endowed with resources. Downward transitional area could be seen as the periphery suffering from backwash effects of development in the Core . Pop, res and dev p.17

13. John Friedmann’s Stages of Growth Gives a more detailed explanation of periphery and highlights that spatial inequalities change over time. Stage 1 – No urban hierarchy Stage 2 – Primate city Stage 3 – Regional sub-centres Stage 4 – Regional inequalities are reduced in a fully integrated urban system Nagle p. 443

14. Dependency theory Domination of the rich over the poor has led to continued and growing disparities between the rich and the poor. European colonialism of the rest of the world started in fifteenth century and continued to the 1970’s. 500 years of exploitation of the human and natural resources of Africa, Asia and the America’s. Dependency on foreign capital, loans and aid has led to many LEDCs facing a huge debt burden and a loss of control of their state finances to institutions such as the World Bank and IMF often resulting in forced reductions to public spending on health care and education. The global economy benefits the rich at the expense of the poor. Poorer countries are encouraged (forced through World Bank and IMF rules) to open up their economies to foreign competition. This leads to “neo-colonialism” by TNCs. At the same time richer countries maintain high levels of protectionism. European CAP Pop, res, dev - Chapter 2

15. Why are there disparities in the level of development of different countries? Countries have different levels of resources and there is a positive correlation between resources and development. (Resource Endowment) All countries are making the same linear progression but are at different stages of development. (Rostow’s and Clarke’s models) Countries are either in the Core, Semi Periphery or Periphery of a larger system which is the Global Economy. This system is dynamic but would be expected to follow a pattern of growth in the core followed by a spread of growth from the core to the semi periphery and periphery (Cumulative causation within a World System) There are disparities because the rich exploit the poor and the poor are dependent on and dominated by the rich (Dependency Theory)

16. So if there is disagreement on the cause of disparities of development, there will inevitably be disagreement on which approach to take to development.